ELLSWORTH, Maine — Harold “Pete” Bickmore, the FBI veteran who became the city’s police chief in April, abruptly resigned from his post Thursday, according to the city manager.
Bickmore’s resignation was effective immediately, City Manager David Cole said Friday morning.
No reason has been given for Bickmore’s sudden departure. Cole declined to comment, citing the confidential nature of personnel issues, and Bickmore did not state any reason in the one-sentence letter of resignation he submitted to Cole on Thursday.
“I hereby submit my resignation as City of Ellsworth Police Department Police Chief effective December 29, 2016,” Bickmore wrote in the letter.
Bickmore, who grew up in Cumberland and worked for the Scarborough Police Department for six years before his 26-year FBI career, was reprimanded by Cole in October for disclosing the “confidential personnel information” of another police department employee to a city resident.
“The information was limited to personnel matters and had nothing to do with any law enforcement function,” Cole wrote in a written reprimand to Bickmore on Oct. 21.
Bickmore declined to comment on the reprimand earlier this month. Attempts Friday to contact Bickmore were unsuccessful.
Cole said Friday that Glenn Moshier, who recently was promoted to the newly created position of captain, will run the department while the city determines how to fill the vacant chief position. Part of the job description for the captain position is to serve as acting chief in the chief’s absence, Cole said.
“I have full confidence in Captain Moshier and in the men and women of the Ellsworth Police Department to hold down the fort,” Cole said.
The city manager said he notified city staff Friday morning about Bickmore’s departure and Moshier’s role as acting police chief. He said he has not yet discussed the situation with the City Council, which is scheduled to meet next on Jan. 9, 2017.
Bickmore is one of several chiefs the department has had in the past three years. John DeLeo retired in April 2014, after having held the position for 16 years. Chris Coleman, a 25-year veteran of Maine State Police, then held the post for about a year and a half before he decided to retire from law enforcement.
Don O’Halloran, the former police chief in Old Town, worked part time as the department’s interim chief for a few months, from February until April of last year.
Cole indicated Friday that as the city decides to move forward, he wants to make sure the next police chief has a longer tenure.
“Stability is a high priority for the city,” Cole said.
